2023 SESSION SCHEDULE

Scaffolding Children: Reality Versus Adult Expectations

NORMA OUELLETE, Director and HighScope Field Consultant, CPE Abracadabra | HighScope Quebec, Canada

[Conference Room D]

This workshop will discuss specific strategies for scaffolding children’s learning, such as observing children in action to discover their strengths. Once we know what children can do, we can offer subtle challenges to further their development, increasing their motivation and passion for learning. Other strategies that will be discussed include breaking down tasks for children into manageable steps and how to use openended questions to encourage self reflection.

“Uno somos todos, soy especial igual que tu” Inclusión educativa desde el Currículum de HighScope”

MARTHA LUV GOMEZ SANCHEZ, Capacitadora Certificada, Secreteria de Educacion

Ciencia, Tecnologia e Innovacion de la Ciudad de Mexico [Seminar 1]

In this workshop, participants will share a comprehensive vision of educational inclusion and discuss how the HighScope key developmental indicators in social studies enable educators to build communities with an inclusive perspective.

Inspiring and Connecting Teams

SHELLEY NEMETH, Field Consultant, HighScope [Conference Room E]

Whew! How many deep breaths have we all taken? How much have we been able to accomplish? Now it is time to acknowledge and bring inspiration, connection, and joy into our work. Participants attending this workshop will have the opportunity to explore strategies to reconnect team members and support common program goals. We will discuss how to use clear communication strategies to identify potential challenges that may stand in the way of improvement and how to use shared control to create connections among team members.

Questions or Comments?

DONNA COYNE, Consultant

[Conference Room G]

Participants in this session will think about the components of quality conversations with children. This session will help participants see the importance of comments and acknowledgements rather than questions in conversation with children and understand how this allows children to be in control of a conversation, use more language, and improve their thinking skills.

Tuning In: Interaction Practices That Promote Healthy Attachment

CHRISTINE SNYDER, Director, Child and Family Care, University of Michigan [Auditorium 2]

This session will explore key ideas about healthy attachment relationships, including responsive care, co-regulation, primary caregiving, trust, and the role of attachment in early childhood development. Participants will explore barriers and distractions to healthy attachment and strategies for developing healthy attachment with infants and toddlers.

Let’s Read! Best New Children’s Books on DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion), SEL (Social-Emotional Learning), and More!

AMY VANDAMENT, President, Book Vine for Children [Elizabeth Ann Room]

The relationship between an adult, a child, and a good book creates a safe space and a bond and fuels children’s passion for learning and literacy. This presentation, for all learning levels, will review some of the best new picture books of the year, incorporating read-aloud techniques and strategies. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) and Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) titles will receive special emphasis. Other subjects (stories, STEAM, basic concepts) will be covered as well.

1:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Breaking it Down to Prevent Breakdowns: Taking a Deeper Look at the Six Steps of Conflict Resolution to Support Children With Different Abilities

SARAH BISHOP, Office of the President, HighScope Co-presenter: Alison Mokry [Conference Room F]

This session will reconsider our assumptions about how children develop and learn and will recognize the basic premises behind why conflict mediation works for all children. We will discuss tips and strategies that make the six steps of conflict resolution accessible to all learners and develop a classroom implementation plan utilizing new tips and strategies.

1:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Using Sensory-Motor Materials Throughout the Day

ERICA HILL, Senior Early Childhood Specialist, HighScope

[Conference Room A]

According to Piaget, infants and toddlers are in the sensorimotor stage of cognitive development. During this session, we will take a deeper look at what this means and how to support infants’ and toddlers’ cognitive development using materials that appeal to their senses and allow them to freely move about. Using these material ideas, we will intentionally plan for experiences throughout the day while also supporting the Key Developmental Indicators (KDIs).

Anxiety, Stress, and Emotional Dysregulation: How Do We Support Our Children in Distress?

KENNETH SHERMAN, Education and Professional Development Director, HighScope

[Terrace Dining Room 3]

In an emotionally supportive classroom, children learn to respect themselves and others, express their thoughts and feelings, and be actively involved in complex human relationships.In this session, participants will be guided through recognizing signs and symptoms of problematic distress, connecting the human stress response to challenging behaviors displayed by children, and understanding how traditional responses to such distress often exasperate the problem. Participants will also learn how to scaffold their students’ social, emotional, and mental learning and take away strategies to counter the adverse effects of children’s anxiety and stress in the classroom.

Using a Cultural Lens to Support Social and Emotional Development

KIMBERLY EARL, Early Learning Coach, Dept. of Education and Early Learning [Seminar 5]

This session will provide participants with thoughtful and guided discussion, in continuing to support children’s social and emotional development, using a cultural lens. Attendees will strengthen their skills with engaging, hands-on activities that support children’s learning in a culturally relevant way!

3:00 pm –

Beyond Counting: Strategies for Active Learning Math Activities

AMY BURNS, Preschool Instructional Coach, Orange Board of Education, HighScope

[Conference Room E]

In this workshop participants will explore meaningful math experiences that can happen throughout the preschool day and practice strategies to connect math learning with non-math related materials.

Using Modifications to Support Children With Exceptionalities in the HighScope Curriculum

DANYA STUMP, Early Childhood Consultant, Oakland Schools

[Conference Room C]

Do you have a student who has an IEP in your program? Did you know that HighScope supports modifications for students who need them? There are many ways that you can make simple modifications within your environment while staying true to the HighScope curriculum. Come learn simple strategies for making learning accessible to all students.

Care is Education

KARIN NOWAK, Center Director, Gretchen’s House Co-presenter: Pam Preston [Seminar 1]

Do you have a student who has an IEP in your program? Did you know that HighScope supports modifications for students who need them? There are many ways that you can make simple modifications within your environment while staying true to the HighScope curriculum. Come learn simple strategies for making learning accessible to all students.

Let’s Train Our Brain for Sensational Small-Group Times

KELLY WINE, Early Childhood Specialist/Consultant, Calhoun Intermediate School District [Conference Room H]

In this session, you will learn the basic principles of HighScope’s small-group time. You will also learn the power of intentionality and will walk away with a system to train your brain to plan and prep sensational small-group times EVERY time!